Ministry-To-Children

100% Free Children's Ministry Resources

  • New Year's Resources

Sunday School Lessons for Kids

100% free Sunday School lessons. Download a single lesson plan or choose a curriculum series. You’ll find thousands of Bible lesson plans and activities for Sunday School. Below is what we recommend lessons for this week. You can also search by scripture, Bible story, or theme.

Featured Sunday School Lessons

New Curriculum for 2020

God’s Good Rules (the 10 Commandment’s) 12 part study

Sunday School Lessons from the Lectionary

100% Free Lessons for Sunday School

Curriculum on the 10 Commandments

Gods Rules Ten Commandments for Kids Lesson Study

Sunday School Lessons: God’s Good Rules

12-Week Study based on the Ten Commandments for Kids

This new Bible curriculum includes coloring pages, games, and craft ideas for each lesson. Kids will discover the truth of God’s law, their trouble to obey, and the free salvation Jesus offers on account of the cross.

42 Week Curriculum on the Attributes of God

42 week Sunday school curriculum on the attributes of God

Sunday School Lessons: What is God Like?

42 unit study based on the Attributes of God for kids

One of the most important tasks of anyone in charge of children’s ministry is that of deciding what truth to teach the children under your care. In my years as a children’s ministry director it was one task that I took very seriously. There were so many things I wanted the children in our church to know, but as I listed them out, they all boiled down to the gospel: who is God?, who is man? and what did Jesus do? With these three simple questions and spiritual guidelines in mind I started forming our children’s materials.

32 Week Curriculum on the Psalms

32 lessons from the Psalms about praising God

Praise God through the Psalms

32 Sunday School Lessons based on the Book of Psalms

God deserves praise! That’s why the book of book of Psalms is a wonderful example of spiritual worship. This 32 lesson curriculum will help children understand and experience the character of God and respond with praise.

Lesson plans on following Jesus

Sunday School Lessons: The Walk

4-week practical training for kids on following Jesus.

This study is filled with practical help for kids as they learn to follow after Jesus and experience his power in daily life. All the lessons are available 100% free using the links below.

Armor of God curriculum for kids Sunday School

Sunday School Lessons: How To Win Against Sin

9-week curriculum for training kids in the Armor of God

The Armor of God is a great passage of Scripture to teach to children. It is visual and has immediate, real world applications for them. The 9 lesson unit covers Ephesians 6 verse 10-20. It is entitled “How to Win Against Sin” because our real battle is against sin, and with Jesus, we can win.

Sunday School curriculum on the Lord s prayer

The Lord’s Prayer (includes coloring book)

10-lesson Sunday School curriculum based on the Jesus’ model prayer

Use our 10 part study to teach the Lord’s Prayer for Kids from Matthew 6 verse 9-13. In many churches, kids will memorize and recite this passage as a foundation for spiritual habits of prayer. Our curriculum and printables will reinforce that process and help kids discover the meaning in each petition of Jesus’ model prayer.

Parables of Jesus lesson plans

Parables of Jesus 

9-unit curriculum based on the teachings of Jesus

Kids learn best through storytelling (just like the first disciples) – that’s why teaching the parables of Jesus is perfect for Sunday School and Junior Church. This 9 lesson curriculum is 100% free to download an teach. Every verse of the Bible is important but the words of Jesus offer spiritual power for all disciples to obey.

Already have a theme or Bible story in mind? Use our search tool to find the teacher guides, lesson activities, curriculum, crafts, and for your class. We post Sunday’s lessons from the International Sunday School Lesson – Uniform Series. You will also see Bible studies based on the Gospel reading in the Revised Common Lectionary.

Sunday School Lessons – free for your Church

  • Life of Jesus (10 lessons – discover the way Jesus minister to the people and offers his salvation to all)
  • Fruit of the Spirit (9 lesson studies for kids to discover the spiritual fruits)
  • Days of Creation – Sunday School Lesson (studies on the truth about the beginning of the world, includes creation coloring pages and printable paperback mini-book)
  • Toddlers Knowing God (8 lessons for training the nursery in the basics of God’s character to start their faith strong)
  • Book of James (5 studies lessons on this practical New Testament book)

Age Specific Curriculum

Education Activities for Sunday School

  • Kings of Israel (28 studies, includes the history of King David and an account of the struggle of the Hebrews to obey God’s covenant.)
  • Book of Acts (34 unit curriculum will examine the history of the disciples & early Church leaders. Discover how the Holy Spirit was working in the creation of the Church.)
  • Sanctity of Life (5 lessons – key verse studies that examine the gift of life in God’s creation and address contemporary issues with God’s truth)
  • Tough Questions Kids Ask (9 lessons -address the big spiritual questions with the truth from the Bible. Examine and discover how to obey God’s Word in modern life.)
  • Bible Organization (3 lessons – ideal for classes of new believers)
  • Object Talk Messages (200+ lessons) includes sample audio video multimedia teaching examples. Follows the current year cycle of 52 weeks curriculum.

Seasonal Curriculum & Holidays Lessons

Our Sunday School curriculum has special holiday lessons. Chose from the list of teacher guides and studies below:

Lectionary Reference for this Sunday

Scripture Reflection & Personal Bible Study

About our Digital Studies

Because all our teacher guides are free online in digital download & print – you never need to order samples. Just click through to the lesson and select the PDF download of the curriculum. Even if you purchase paperback curriculum on a regular cycle, our Sunday School lesson can give help buildup your studies with Bible based ideas. When you add our studies to your regular planning, you’ll become a stronger teacher.

Please email us if you have any suggestions if you or minister leaders have ideas to improve these classes.

Free Sunday School Curriculum from Other Websites

Bible Education Resources and Online Curriculum

The following websites have a good selection of free Sunday School curriculum for children. Many Christian education companies offer printed editions of for sale. However, there is plenty of free help to keep you busy for many months.

The index by scripture reference is a work in progress. For each book of the Bible you will find a variety of lessons, crafts, coloring pages and more. Some books will have more content than others. This index is not exhaustive because we’re tagging materials as we update them throughout 2019. It’s a new way to browse our content. Like all the resources on Ministry-To-Children, our Sunday School Curriculum is 100% free and easy print for your church.

Bible Reference Index (Alphabetical) New & Old Testament

  • The Walk: 4 Lessons on Following Jesus The Walk – 4 Lessons on Following Jesus (PDF)Download Print these free lessons to teach children what it means to follow Jesus. This study is filled with practical help for kids as they learn to follow after Jesus. All the lessons are available 100% free using the links below. #1 Walk in Wisdom teaches children the difference between earthly and spiritual wisdom. #2 Walk in Truth explains how truth is not personal opinion, but found in the Word of God. #3 Walk in Love shows how God’s love helps us truly love others well. #4 Walk in Faith explores how to practically follow God’s path here and now.
  • Children’s Sermon (Matthew 4:12-23) Object Lesson on “Fishers of Men” This Children’s Message is based on Matthew 4. The Bible object lesson will teach kids what it means to become “Fishers of Men” for Jesus. Print the sermon script and then watch our teaching demonstration video below. Share this message with your church, Sunday School, or children’s ministry. Children’s Sermon ScriptDownload PDF “Fishers of Men” Children’s Sermon Demonstration https://youtu.be/I2z8qBKiQH0 “Fishers of Men” Object Lesson Children’s Sermon from Matthew 4:12-23 Main Objective: For young children, it might seem strange to hear Jesus promise His disciples that they will “fish for people.” This message explores that concept by explaining to students how God wants us to bring others to the knowledge of His salvation and family. We want to express to kids the importance of a life lived for and with Christ, and what a blessing it is to share with others! Law/Gospel Theme: Jesus came to live among us and die for us to take away the guilty stain of our sins. He called His first disciples, who were willing to leave everything and follow Him. We should also be willing to do whatever it takes to follow Christ, and we should be eager to share the good news with others and “fish for people”! Object Lesson Props: Fishing equipment, such as nets, rods, bait, tackle, etc; pictures of fishing boats or old fishing methods. Don’t forget we post new children’s messages each week. See the Bible craft and Sunday School lesson that accompany this children’s sermon. Compare another Sunday School lesson “Fishers of Friends” Compare the “Fishing for People” children’s message from Sermons4Kids Prepare your heart with this personal Bible study devotional on Matthew 4 Bible Passage: Matthew 4:12-23 Message: Note: As with most messages, the details of how you choose to communicate this are adaptable and should cater to timing as well as to your audience and student needs. Use what best suits you and those you teach. Children’s Sermon “Fishers of Men” from Matthew 4:12-23 Greet the children, bringing up some fishing equipment. Hello, children of God! You know what? I think I would like to do some fishing. Have any of you ever been fishing before? What do you need to do when you fish? I have with me some equipment that people sometimes use when they go fishing. (Hold up items as you discuss) So here is a fishing “rod”: you put some kind of “bait” on the end, and then you hold it until a fish comes along and bites at it. Then you turn this crank and try to reel it in! Here’s another kind of item you might use…it’s a net. This kind of tool might make it easy to scoop up fish if you had a lot of them in one spot. Sometimes people use really big nets to pull in fish. This was probably how people used to fish in the times of Jesus, in fact. They had huge nets that they would toss into the water to see what they could pull up. Here are some pictures of boats that might help people catch fish. So why are we talking about fishing? Well, here’s another question: have you ever been fishing for people? Wait, how does that work?? Can you catch people in a net?? (pretend to “catch” one of the students) That seems strange… But you know what, in today’s Gospel lesson, Jesus invited His disciples to be fishers of men. He met a man named Peter, who had a fishing boat. Jesus began to preach from the middle of the lake, right on this boat! Then He told Peter to put his nets down to catch fish…Peter tried to explain that he hadn’t caught any fish all night, but he followed the directions of Jesus and put his net down again. When he did, he caught more fish than he could even carry! This made him realize that Jesus was something very special, was SomeONE very special. Peter bowed before Jesus. He was willing to do whatever it might take to follow this teacher. Peter left his fishing boat and his old job in order to become a disciple. Jesus told Peter and his brother Andrew that they would become “fishers of men.” This meant that He was going to use the former fishers in a special way. They would be gathering more followers for Jesus, and would serve people and help people just like Jesus did. Would you like to be a fisher for disciples? You can! Instead of sitting by a lake or scooping up fish in a pond, you can be a fisher by telling others about Jesus. You can share His love by loving others. Jesus wants us to tell everyone about Him and “make disciples” for Him. We can be fishers of friends! This is an amazing blessing and privilege that we have from God. We can still work at regular jobs, of course. But we can also spread the love of Jesus and “catch” other people to be part of God’s family! We need to be willing to follow Him, and encourage others to do the same. Why don’t we say a prayer about that now? Children’s Prayer Moment (Have kids repeat each line) Dear God, Thank you for the love of Jesus Help us to follow Him and know what that means. Help us share His love with one another. Thank you that we can be disciples, too. Thank you for your love. We love you, God! In Jesus’s name, Amen! Matthew 4:12-23 (NIV) Jesus Begins to Preach 12 When Jesus heard that John had been put in prison, he withdrew to Galilee. 13 Leaving Nazareth, he went and lived in Capernaum, which was by the lake in the area of Zebulun and Naphtali— 14 to fulfill what was said through the prophet Isaiah: 15 “Land of Zebulun and land of Naphtali,     the Way of the Sea, beyond the Jordan,     Galilee of the Gentiles— 16 the people living in darkness     have seen a great light; on those living in the land of the shadow of death     a light has dawned.” 17 From that time on Jesus began to preach, “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven has come near.” Jesus Calls His First Disciples 18 As Jesus was walking beside the Sea of Galilee, he saw two brothers, Simon called Peter and his brother Andrew. They were casting a net into the lake, for they were fishermen. 19 “Come, follow me,” Jesus said, “and I will send you out to fish for people.” 20 At once they left their nets and followed him. 21 Going on from there, he saw two other brothers, James son of Zebedee and his brother John. They were in a boat with their father Zebedee, preparing their nets. Jesus called them, 22 and immediately they left the boat and their father and followed him. Jesus Heals the Sick 23 Jesus went throughout Galilee, teaching in their synagogues, proclaiming the good news of the kingdom, and healing every disease and sickness among the people. Matthew 4:12-23 NIV
  • Jesus Calls Disciples (Matthew 4:12-22) Sunday School Lesson Kids have a place in the work of God’s Kingdom. In this lesson on service, children will learn how Jesus served his disciples and included them in his mission. This Sunday School lesson is based on Matthew 4:12-22. The printable PDF below includes all the lesson plan, coloring page, worksheets, and activities described on this page. Leave a comment to let us know how the lesson went in your church! Jesus Calls Disciples – Matthew 4Download Fishers of Friends – Matthew 4 (alternate lesson)Download In Matthew 4:12-22 Jesus begins his preaching ministry and calls his disciples. As Jesus called his disciples, he was also committing himself to become their servant leader. This lesson shows Jesus’ humility and dedication to his disciples helped them learn how to serve. Use this lesson in Sunday School or Children’s Church. TARGET AGES: 9 – 13 Older Elementary. You may need to simplify this lesson when working with younger children. CURRICULUM UNIT: This lesson is part of the Servanthood for Kids: The Life of Jesus. You can used it as a stand-alone Sunday School lesson or you can teach the whole curriculum in any order. OBJECTIVE: To identify Jesus’ twelve disciples and learn that humility is one of the biggest qualities of a servant of Jesus Christ. MAIN IDEA: Jesus was a true servant for his disciples because he equipped and taught them how to become leaders of the church. SCRIPTURE PASSAGES: Matthew 4:12-22, Matthew 9:9, Mark 2:14, John 1:43 & 49-50, Matthew 10:2-4 MATERIAL(S): Notebook paper, writing utensils, activity sheet (click to download) Prepare your heart with this personal Bible study devotional on Matthew 4 Introduction (15 minutes) OPENING PRAYER: “Lord, today we accept your call of service on our lives. Teach us how to serve by studying Jesus’ selection of his disciples and their willingness to follow him. Amen.” PREVIOUS LESSON REVIEW: Play a “True or False” game with the class to review what they have learned about Jesus’ life as a servant. Pass out blank pieces of paper and writing utensils. Consider presenting the winner with a small prize. Suggested questions include: Jesus was born in Jerusalem. (False, he was born in Bethlehem) Jesus had brothers and sisters. (True) Jesus was baptized. (True) Satan tempted Jesus for 20 days in the desert. (False, it was 40 days) Jesus’ parents were John and Mary. (False, they were Joseph and Mary) The word “baptize” means to sprinkle someone with water. (False, the meaning is “full immersion”) Jesus was 12-years-old when his parents forgot him at the temple. (True) Satan tempted Jesus with water in the desert. (False, he was tempted with bread) At the end of the game say, “This game teaches us that it can be easy for people to get minor details about Jesus wrong. But, if we keep reading the bible so we know the truth about our Savior. It’s very important to read our bibles!” Matthew 4:12-22 New International Reader’s Version (NIRV) Children’s Translation Jesus Begins to Preach 12 John had been put in prison. When Jesus heard about this, he returned to Galilee. 13 Jesus left Nazareth and went to live in the city of Capernaum. It was by the lake in the area of Zebulun and Naphtali. 14 In that way, what the prophet Isaiah had said came true. He had said, 15 “Land of Zebulun! Land of Naphtali!    Galilee, where Gentiles live!    Land along the Mediterranean Sea! Territory east of the Jordan River!16 The people who are now living in darkness    have seen a great light.They are now living in a very dark land.    But a light has shined on them.” (Isaiah 9:1,2) 17 From that time on Jesus began to preach. “Turn away from your sins!” he said. “The kingdom of heaven has come near.” Jesus Chooses His First Disciples 18 One day Jesus was walking beside the Sea of Galilee. There he saw two brothers, Simon Peter and his brother Andrew. They were throwing a net into the lake, because they were fishermen. 19 “Come and follow me,” Jesus said. “I will send you out to fish for people.” 20 At once they left their nets and followed him. 21 Going on from there, he saw two other brothers. They were James, son of Zebedee, and his brother John. They were in a boat with their father Zebedee. As they were preparing their nets, Jesus called out to them. 22 Right away they left the boat and their father and followed Jesus.New International Reader’s Version (NIRV) Copyright © 1995, 1996, 1998, 2014 by Biblica, Inc.®. Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide. Sunday School Lesson (15 minutes) Explain to the students that after Jesus was tempted in the desert by Satan he began choosing specific people to mentor and teach. Ask, “Who can tell me how many disciples, or followers, Jesus picked? Can you name any of them?” Turn to Matthew 4:18-22. Read the passage and list the first four disciples on the board (Peter, Andrew, James, and John). Ask, “What do we know about these men from the scripture passage (fishermen, brothers, left immediately, etc)?” Point out that these first four disciples were all fishermen, a very humble job in Jesus day. Look up the rest of the disciples’ names by turning to Matthew 9:9 (Matthew), Mark 2:14 (Levi, another name for Matthew), John 1:43,49-50 (Philip and Nathanael, another name for Bartholomew), and Matthew 10:2-4 (Thomas, James the son of Alphaeus, Thaddaeus, Simon the Zealot and Judas Iscariot). Say, “Let’s brainstorm for a moment: Why was it necessary for Jesus to personally teach disciples during his life on earth (because he was going to heaven and the disciples would have to lead the church as his appointed leaders)?” Make the distinction that Jesus didn’t pick the disciples because they were perfect – for example, Peter denied him and Judas betrayed him – but because they had hearts that were ready and willing to serve. Say, “God doesn’t care about our status, popularity, or physical characteristics. He cares about our desire to serve him! Do you have the desire to serve God?” Activity Sheet (10 minutes) *See attachment* Pass out the “Twelve Disciples” crossword sheet to review the lesson. Consider allowing students to work in pairs or small groups. Optional Activities: If you need to extend this lesson, we recommend the following free activities from our website: D is for Disciple Coloring Page 12 Disciples Activity Sheet Printable Bingo Review Game of 12 Disciples Names Activity – Put the Disciples names in Alphabetical Order Watch the 5 minute video from Jelly Telly where Jesus picks his disciples Compare our Sunday School Lesson on Fishers of Men Conclusion (5 minutes) RECAP: Jesus chose his disciples not because they were more intelligent, gifted or prosperous than others but because they had willing hearts to follow him and serve. Service is not about what we can do from our own strength but what God can do when we are humble and submit to his will. CLOSING PRAYER: “God, humble our hearts as we serve you this week, and give us the opportunity to tell others about Jesus as we serve. Amen.”
  • Sunday School Lesson “Fishers of Friends” Matthew 4:12-23 Download this Sunday School lesson about Jesus’ early ministry. It is based on Matthew 4 and the Fishers of Men. Teach kids how the disciples started following Jesus and how they can tell others about Jesus too. “Fishers of Friends”Download Lesson “Fishers of Friends” Sunday School Lesson from Matthew 4:12-23 Children know the importance of following directions or being obedient (at least in theory!). But what does it mean to truly follow a person? Is it like following a celebrity in the media? Being a fan? It’s important to explain to youngsters that Jesus invites us to follow Him. In this day and age, that entails going against the grain sometimes. It also means studying the Bible to know what Jesus said and did, and praying to ask God for help. These things equip us to be “fishers of men” and tell others about Christ, as well. Lesson focus: As Christians, we are called to do whatever it takes to follow Jesus. This lesson focuses on becoming a disciple, as well as bringing others into God’s family. Learners will explore how the first followers came to Christ, and how we can be “fishers of men”, too. Passage: Matthew 4:12-23 Bible Memory Verse: Matthew 4:19 (compare on Bible Hub) “Come, follow me,” Jesus said, “and I will send you out to fish for people.” Matthew 4:19 NIV Target Audience: Kindergarten-6th grade Materials Needed: Fishing equipment, goldfish crackers, toilet paper or paper towel roll tubes, paper plates, decorative materials, papers, glitter or sequins. More Teaching Ideas: See the “Fishers of Men” crafts direction video Compare another Sunday School Lesson from Matthew 4:12-22 Compare the Sunday school lesson on Jesus preaching and calling disciples Compare our “Fishers of Men” children’s sermon / object lesson D is for Disciples Coloring Page (included in the download above) See our Great Commission object lesson with dominoes Don’t miss all our new Sunday School lessons each week on Sunday School Works Game and Lesson Introduction Lesson Opening: Open up with some “fishy fun” for the kids, as well as activities that involve following and getting others to follow… Follow which leader? Have two or three students (depending on the size of your group) come up and start giving directions to everyone else. Don’t tell kids which leader to follow, but let them choose what to do. Discuss whether it is difficult to pick a leader, and if it’s confusing when multiple voices are trying to direct you. “Jesus says”…play a classic game of “Simon says” but have students follow along according to whether or not instructions are prefaced with “Jesus says”. Mirror images: Have students partner up. Explain that one partner will make mime-like motions that the other must follow. Encourage them to get a little goofy with their movements, and try to get their partners to follow along in kind. Let’s go fishing! This is a fun activity for younger students especially. Have a box or bucket full of treats or small toys, and place a blanket or partition in front of it. One at a time, let kids come up with a “fishing rod” of a string and handle with a clothespin attached. Invite children to toss the “line” over the blanket, and use the clothespin to “hook” on a treat for them to take. Alternatively, use a magnet for the “hook” and have paper clips attached to pictures or Bible verses for the children to fish out. Outside activity: if youngsters need to run off some extra energy, play a rousing outdoor game like “sharks and minnows”, tag, or “steal the fish” (“steal the bacon” revisited with a fish toy). Explain to students that today they will learn what it means to be a “disciple” and to follow Jesus. All of us are called to live by Christ’s example and to love and serve Him. Did you know that we can also be “fishers of men”? We can spread the hope and joy of our faith to those around us!  Bible Lesson (Matthew 4:12-23) Fishers of Friends Ask students if they have ever been fishing. Hold up pictures of fishing boats and fishing nets. If you have some available, bring in fishing equipment like rods, bait, lures, or nets. Explain that these things help us catch fish if we want to. Well….what if we catch people? Does that make sense? Ask students if they think we can fish for people. Do we catch them on hooks or in nets? Let children know that Jesus invited His first disciples to be fishers of people, and He wants us to do the same thing. In today’s story, we are going to see those first disciples called to follow Jesus, and learn how we can follow, too. If this is a follow-up to the previous lesson about sharing Jesus, review what had been covered before about His life, and who some of the disciples were. Take a look at prophecies written about Him: Now when he heard that John had been arrested, he withdrew into Galilee. 13 And leaving Nazareth he went and lived in Capernaum by the sea, in the territory of Zebulun and Naphtali, 14 so that what was spoken by the prophet Isaiah might be fulfilled: 15 “The land of Zebulun and the land of Naphtali,     the way of the sea, beyond the Jordan, Galilee of the Gentiles— 16 the people dwelling in darkness     have seen a great light, and for those dwelling in the region and shadow of death,     on them a light has dawned.” 17 From that time Jesus began to preach, saying, “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.” -Matthew 4:12-17 Remind students of who John the Baptist was. Note that here, Jesus is using the same language John had used before. John prepared the way, and Jesus took it over. In fact, the same thing happened with disciples, as we saw how some of John’s followers started to look to Jesus for instruction (at John’s encouragement). Jesus came across two brothers who happened to be fishermen: While walking by the Sea of Galilee, he saw two brothers, Simon (who is called Peter) and Andrew his brother, casting a net into the sea, for they were fishermen. 19 And he said to them, “Follow me, and I will make you fishers of men.” -Matthew 4:18-19 Jesus lived close to a sea. Naturally, the fishing industry would have been a trade that involved a lot of people. It was hard work, as the boats needed kept up and the nets were very heavy—especially when they were full of fish! Peter and Andrew had probably grown up in this profession, or had done it quite a long time. Pay close attention to what comes next… Immediately they left their nets and followed him. 21 And going on from there he saw two other brothers, James the son of Zebedee and John his brother, in the boat with Zebedee their father, mending their nets, and he called them. 22 Immediately they left the boat and their father and followed him. -Matthew 4:20-22 Ask students how long it took for Simon Peter and Andrew to decide to follow Jesus. No time at all! The verse says “immediately” they left their nets! They didn’t even wait to wrap things up or make a final fish sale. They knew that Jesus was someone significant, and they were willing to leave their jobs behind and abandon what they had done, just to follow Jesus! They weren’t the only ones either…James and John (also fishermen and sons of a fisherman) also left their boat immediately and came to follow Jesus. ASK: Are there things you would have to give up to follow Jesus?  What does it mean to follow Jesus? And he went throughout all Galilee, teaching in their synagogues and proclaiming the gospel of the kingdom and healing every disease and every affliction among the people.  -Matthew 4:23 Explain that they might not have fishing boats to walk away from, but God still wants us to follow Him, and we can still be disciples (followers) of Jesus. This means praying and reading our Bibles so that we can understand what He says. It means living our lives in ways that are pleasing and honoring to Jesus, rather than selfishly or with mean intent toward others. Following Jesus means that we want to love other people and serve them, just like we love and serve Christ. If time allows, discuss the stories of some of the other disciples, and review who they were with students. The lives of Philip, Nathaniel, Simon the Zealot, Matthew, Thomas, Bartholomew, James, and Judas can be briefly explored and reviewed. This might be especially good for curious older students. If there is plenty of time, you might even consider making paper bag or stick puppets representing these twelve, and place representational items with each one. For additional Scriptures on the call of disciples, see the following: Mark 3:13-19 Luke 5:1-11 John 1:29-42 Sunday School Crafts: Fishy Fun… Sunday-School-Crafts-Fishers-of-Friends-Matthew-4Download https://youtu.be/n7UFkM8HrIM There are several fun crafts that are great to do with this story. Of course, following Jesus and being disciples ourselves are important features. But with the idea of being “fishers of men” (or fishers of friends, or fishers of people) is a unique image that lends itself to some great “fishing” crafts. Options include: Make disciple puppets with paper bags or popsicle sticks (decorate and “name” them). “Fishers of friends” fishing rod: attach a string or ribbon to a paper towel tube or toilet paper tube. Decorate the tube, and add a fish cut-out on the end of the string. These “fish” should have names of people that students want to pray for or share Jesus with. Fishing boat: cut a paper plate in half, and decorate it like a boat. Add a “sail”, verse caption, and string “fish” through the sides. Big fish, little fish… in the style of the book Rainbow Fish, create a group craft with consideration of people who need to hear the Gospel: make a large fish shaped poster or paper. Add sequins and glitter, and smaller fish shaped papers with names of people who need to hear Jesus. Close with prayer and thank God for Jesus. Ask God to help us follow Jesus, and to encourage us in bringing others to follow, too.
  • The Story of Creation for Kids Printable storybook on the Days of Creation Kids need to know the story of creation. God made everything in 6 days to show his creative power. Start with our printable coloring pages, complete Sunday School lessons, and video Bible stories. (all 100% free). Story of Creation Booklet – 30 pages –Download Lessons & Coloring Pages – 62 pages – Download Coloring Pages Only – 14 pages – Download The two files above contain the entire Story of Creation curriculum from our website. Simply download the printable PDF documents below. To view lessons separately, scroll down this page. The Creation Story – Kids’ Video https://vimeo.com/49018350 Download this free Creation Story video on Vimeo More “Story of Creation” Teaching Material Children’s Bible version of the Story of Creation (offsite link) Another Kid Friendly version from Kids Corner (offsite link) Lessons and Sunday School Activities from DLTK (offsite link) This page contains links to all our lesson plans, learning activities, and coloring pages related to the story of creation. “In the beginning, God created the heavens and the Earth.” Genesis 1:1 Bible Lessons about Creation Story Elementary Editions (included in PDF above): Creation Day #1 |  Creation Day #2 | Creation Day #3 | Creation Day #4 | Creation Day #5| Creation Day #6 & 7 | Creation Review Lesson Preschool Editions (not included above) Creation Day #1 |  Creation Day #2 | Creation Day #3 | Creation Day #4 | Creation Day #5| Creation Day #6 & 7| Creation Review Lesson | Preschool Creation Story Video | Teaching Preschoolers about Creation Toddler Lessons: God Made Everything! Media: Video Bible story of Creation Related Resources: Printable creation Story Book, days of Creation Song, 7 days of creation song,  Genesis 1:1 coloring page and Creation Craft idea, Printable Creation Coloring Pages “Days of Creation” Coloring Pages Let There Be Light God Made Sky & Sea God Made Land Let the Land Produce God Made Sun, Moon, Stars God Made Animals, Fish, Birds Adam and Eve Coloring Page God Rested, It Was Very Good
  • “Why We Have Rules” Lesson #1 in the 10 Commandments for Kids This is lesson #1 in our series called “God’s Good Rules” that gives kids an in-depth study of the Ten Commandments. Download the complete printable lesson plan below. See all the lessons and find bonus learning activities on the series page: God’s Good Rules – A Study for Children on the 10 Commandments. Ten Commandments Lesson #1Download “Why We Have Rules” Lesson #1 in the God’s Good Rules Series: Bible Curriculum for Kids on the 10 Commandments About this Lesson Plan Main idea:  God’s rules help us get along nicely with one another and to stay healthy, safe, and happy. Materials Needed: Bible; dry erase markers or chart paper and markers; age appropriate board games; “cover page Ten Commandments” coloring page (included in this download); coloring supplies; (optional: construction paper, scissors, glue sticks, game board templates. See game instructions for more information.) Scripture references: Exodus 20:1-17 Galatians 2:16 Ephesians 2:8-9 Romans 13:8-10 Psalm 119:1-2 Bible Memory Verse: Psalm 119:1-2 “Joyful are people of integrity, who follow the instructions of the Lord. Joyful are those who obey his laws and search for him with all their hearts.” More 10 Commandment Learning & Activities See our printable 10 commandments for kids version Compare our single Ten Commandment Sunday School Lesson Compare our single Preschool Bible Lesson on the Ten Commandments Moses and the Law of 10 Commandments (preschool coloring page) PDF Worksheets on the 10 Commandments Commandments Preschool Booklet  Moses Songs for Preschoolers Go Fish Guys sing the 10 Commandment Song See the 10 Commandments for Kids on Sunday School Works Teacher Preparation / Pre-Lesson Devotion Read Scripture references, Psalm 19:7-14, James 2:8, Galatians 3:2-5, 19-24, Psalm 119.  Take time to meditate on this week’s Scripture and think about your own life. Have you made following the commandments a priority in your life? By no means should we allow the law to dominate our faith. The law of God calls not for legalism, but for love. As I studied to write this lesson, I spent many weeks wrestling with the place the law has in the life of the believer. One question I had was, why do we put so much emphasis on the Ten Commandments but not on all the other laws found in the Old Testament? (Like the Levitical laws?) The short answer, I think, is that there are different uses of the law. Some laws were specific to Israel at that time, and how they should govern themselves as God’s nation. Some laws had to do with Temple and worship therein. The Ten Commandments are moral laws, many of which even nonbelievers can agree with. Jesus often referred to and affirmed the Ten Commandments, as we’ll see in our last lesson. So, the Ten Commandments are a summary of how to show love to God and to one another. We do this not through our own strength and ability, but through our abiding trust in the God who rescued us from the land of Egypt and who rose Jesus from the dead. The natural outpouring of our faith in Christ is love, and love is displayed in the way we live our lives. When we faithfully love Jesus and love others, we will find that we naturally desire to follow his commands. Lesson Introduction Game Activities “Board Games, or Ah So Go” Before class, set out a selection of age appropriate, quick-play board games and card games. Make sure the games’ rules are readily available! As students play, listen to their discussions and observe how they use the rules to help facilitate proper game play. When they are unsure how to play or get into an argument, remind them to refer to the rules. Alternatively, play Ah So Go as a group. Have students sit in a circle facing inward. The first player shouts “Ah!” while saluting across their forehead with either their left or right hand, with their fingers pointing to the player next to them. That player then says, “So!” while placing their hand on their chin with their fingers pointing to the player next to them. The third player, who was just pointed to, says, “Go!” while clapping their hands together and pointing with hands together across the circle to any other player. This player then restarts the sequence with “Ah” and a salute. If a player makes a mistake and either says the wrong word or does the wrong motion, they are out. Start slowly, and build up the pace as you go. Remind the kids that they have to follow the rules and go in the proper order. The game ends when only two players remain. Children’s Bible Lesson “Why do we have rules?” Open in prayer, then say, you all did a good job following the rules to play the games! What would have happened if no one knew the rules to the game? Could you have played it properly? What if while I was playing, I decided I didn’t want to follow the rules at all? When someone chooses not to follow the rules, it makes it a lot harder to have fun together, doesn’t it?  In my home, we have rules that everyone is expected to follow. For example, we have a “no tech at the dinner table” rule. Raise your hand if you can tell me some of the rules that you have in your home. (Allow students to answer. You may write answers on the board if you wish.) It sounds like you all have certain rules in your home that help everyone to get along and be healthy and safe. Can you think of anywhere else we have rules? (Allow students to answer. Some examples include school, public pool, speed limits, or unstated social rules such as no cutting in line or not answering your phone during the church service.) It seems like there are rules everywhere! Why do you think we have so many rules we have to follow? (Allow students to answer. Work on refining responses until you get something close to the following and write it on the board.) Rules help us get along nicely with one another and to stay healthy, safe, and happy. Did you know God has rules too? The Bible is full of instructions on how to live our best, most loving lives. These instructions are often called laws. There are ten laws in particular that we are going to focus on for the next few months. You may know them better as the Ten Commandments. Let’s take time to read them now. (Either read Exodus 20:1-17 or have students take turns reading aloud a verse or two at a time.) Then God gave the people all these instructions: 2 “I am the Lord your God, who rescued you from the land of Egypt, the place of your slavery. 3 “You must not have any other god but me. 4 “You must not make for yourself an idol of any kind or an image of anything in the heavens or on the earth or in the sea. 5 You must not bow down to them or worship them, for I, the Lord your God, am a jealous God who will not tolerate your affection for any other gods. I lay the sins of the parents upon their children; the entire family is affected—even children in the third and fourth generations of those who reject me. 6 But I lavish unfailing love for a thousand generations on those who love me and obey my commands. 7 “You must not misuse the name of the Lord your God. The Lord will not let you go unpunished if you misuse his name. 8 “Remember to observe the Sabbath day by keeping it holy. 9 You have six days each week for your ordinary work, 10 but the seventh day is a Sabbath day of rest dedicated to the Lord your God. On that day no one in your household may do any work. This includes you, your sons and daughters, your male and female servants, your livestock, and any foreigners living among you. 11 For in six days the Lord made the heavens, the earth, the sea, and everything in them; but on the seventh day he rested. That is why the Lord blessed the Sabbath day and set it apart as holy. 12 “Honor your father and mother. Then you will live a long, full life in the land the Lord your God is giving you. 13 “You must not murder. 14 “You must not commit adultery. 15 “You must not steal. 16 “You must not testify falsely against your neighbor. 17 “You must not covet your neighbor’s house. You must not covet your neighbor’s wife, male or female servant, ox or donkey, or anything else that belongs to your neighbor.” Wow! I don’t know about you, but reading through all that makes my head spin! Don’t worry though, today we’re just going to talk about the Ten Commandments in general, and over the next several weeks we’ll learn about the Commandments one by one. Today I want to focus on the importance of following the rules. Can anyone remind me why we follow rules? (Allow students to answer, and refer to the board.) Because rules help us get along nicely with one another and to stay healthy, safe, and happy. There is one very important thing to remember, though. We are not saved by following the Ten Commandments. Following the law is not how we get to heaven. The only way to live forever in heaven with Jesus is by trusting him. Let’s have a sword drill to prove this. Take all bookmarks and fingers out of your Bibles and hold them above your heads. When I say go, look up Galatians 2:16. Go! (Read, or have a student read Galatians 2:16.) “Yet we know that a person is made right with God by faith in Jesus Christ, not by obeying the law. And we have believed in Christ Jesus, so that we might be made right with God because of our faith in Christ, not because we have obeyed the law. For no one will ever be made right with God by obeying the law.” Isn’t that GREAT news? I know I could never follow all the rules, just right, all the time, for my whole life. And thank God, I don’t have to. All I have to do is believe that Jesus died on the cross for my sins and now lives in my heart. Ephesians 2:8-9 reminds us: “God saved you by his grace when you believed. And you can’t take credit for this; it is a gift from God. Salvation is not a reward for the good things we have done, so none of us can boast about it.” I’m so glad that salvation is a gift from God, and not something I have to work to earn. So that brings up a question. Do we have to follow the Ten Commandments, or not? (If your students are older and mature enough, you could have them briefly discuss their opinions in small groups. For younger students, skip this part.) Well, to tell you the truth, this is something smart people have been discussing for a long, long time, and they don’t always agree. Some people say yes, we must follow the law, and some people so no, we don’t. Here’s what I think: yes, and no. As we learned from Galatians 2:6, the law cannot make us right with God. Only our faith in Jesus can do that. God won’t love you more if you follow all the Ten Commandments, and we won’t love you less if you don’t. God’s love for you will never, ever change. God will always, always, ALWAYS love you, no matter what you do. So no, we don’t have to follow the rules to be loved by God. But yes, following the Ten Commandments will help us live the life God has planned for us. Following God’s commands helps us to love him better and love each other better. Let’s look up one more passage. Turn with me to Romans 13:8-10. (Read, or have a student read, the following passage.) “Owe nothing to anyone—except for your obligation to love one another. If you love your neighbor, you will fulfill the requirements of God’s law. 9 For the commandments say, “You must not commit adultery. You must not murder. You must not steal. You must not covet.” These—and other such commandments—are summed up in this one commandment: “Love your neighbor as yourself.” 10 Love does no wrong to others, so love fulfills the requirements of God’s law.” The whole point of God’s law is for people to show love to him and to one another. If you’re stealing from someone, you aren’t showing them love, are you? And if you disrespect God by worshiping something else, that isn’t showing God that you love him. The Ten Commandments aren’t meant to help us get to heaven. The only way to get to live forever in heaven is to ask Jesus to live in your heart, and to do your best to follow him. We show Jesus we love and follow him by loving our neighbors, and the Ten Commandments show us some ways to do that. God’s rules help us get along nicely with one another and to stay healthy, safe, and happy. Over the next ten weeks, we will look at each commandment one by one, and then we will have a week to review everything we’ve learned. We are also going to work on memorizing the first two verses of Psalm 119. This psalm is a long one, and it is all about how wonderful it is to obey God’s law. Let’s read the first two verses together and practice them a few times before our craft. “Joyful are people of integrity, who follow the instructions of the Lord. Joyful are those who obey his laws and search for him with all their hearts.” (If you have a group who is well practiced in Scripture memory, or if these two verses simply aren’t enough, challenge your students (and yourself!) to memorize as much of Psalm 119 as they can. Consider making a contest out of it over the span of this unit, and offer prizes to those who memorize more than the first two verses.) Also, consider memorizing the Ten Commandments. End in prayer. 10 Commandments Coloring Page Cover page Ten Commandments Coloring Page by Many Groce (included in the download above). Have children write their name on the coloring page. As they color, discuss with them what they learned today. They may take the coloring pages home, or you may collect them to put together into a book to be sent home at the end of the unit. Alternatively, have students invent their own board games with their own sets of rules. Remind them that rules are meant to be helpful, so their game rules should make the game fun for everyone. Provide scissors, glue sticks, stickers, coloring supplies and colorful paper for this activity. You can also find several blank game boards and dice templates for free online. Bible Study References: https://www.desiringgod.org/messages/why-the-law-was-given https://jdgreear.com/blog/why-dont-we-follow-all-of-the-old-testament-laws/ https://www.ligonier.org/blog/threefold-use-law/

New Sunday School Lessons for your church curriculum

Who are the Major Christian Education Publishers?

LifeWay Christian Resources: Long knows as the Sunday School Board of the Southern Baptist Convention, LifeWay is a leading publisher of Baptist materials and curriculum for churches.

Group Publishing: An independent publisher of Sunday School curriculum, Christian Magazines, and Vacation Bible School.

Cokesbury & Abingdon Press: The traditional publisher of the United Methodist Church. Cokesbury is the retail division of the United Methodist Publishing House. Based in Nashville, TN, Cokesbury serves as an agency of the United Methodist Church but serves also as an ecumenical resource provider to other denominations.

Regular Baptist Press (RBP): Is the publishing company for the General Association of Regular Baptist Churches (GARBC), established in 1932 is one of several Baptist groups in North America retaining the name “Regular Baptist”.

Standard Publishing is a nondenominational Christian publishing company founded in Cincinnati, Ohio, in 1872. Major publications have included its flagship journal, Christian Standard, and church education materials including Vacation Bible School curricula. In 2015, Standard Publishing became an imprint of David C. Cook when the latter acquired the company’s Bible lesson commentary series, Sunday school curriculum and other church resources.

David C. Cook: An American nonprofit Christian publisher based in Colorado Springs, Colorado. It was founded as a provider of Sunday school curriculum and remains a major publisher of such materials. It also publishes fiction and nonfiction books and distributes supporting materials like toys and games.

[Total: 18    Average: 4.9/5]

Reader Interactions